This is my first post but I know that dhammawheel is a reference site on the internet and I had the opportunity to read some posts enrichissants, excuse my english in advance but I am French and the language of Shakespeare is not our best knowledge (thanx google!)

My name is Benoît, I live in Paris and I met the Dhamma a few years ago discovering Little Buddha by Bernardo Bertolucci. After a stint in the Vajrayana I turned to Theravada which is now the path that guides me. Ajahn Chah was a revelation to me ...

France is poor about monasteries and centers (non-existent) so I create a forum for myself to try to unite the french theravada community which is ultra minority and i finalizing several projects of partage Dhamma (cf: my nickname dhammadanam) like the french traduction of Illustrated Dhammapada , I hope can you talk about when the time comes!

Here we say more? thank you for this space even if english-spokeb there remains the benchmark for (french) Theravada seekers.

While he is clearly not Theravadan, Thich Nhat Hanh lives in France. He may be a "local" resource available to you. His monastary is Plum Village. He practices Vietnamese Zen. Some criticize him for emphasizing bare mindfulness, saying he has a lack of insight. He seems pretty wise to me, though.

Well? there's a place in Paris where i'll go to pratice samatha/vipassana bhavana nearly even if i'll do at home every day.

I know TNH who is living in south of France but like you said is a zen "master" and i don't really like his way of teaching.French theravada seekers are aware that ressources are deficients in France ... but it's like that !

"And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting oneself one protects others? By the pursuit, development, and cultivation of the four establishments of mindfulness. It is in such a way that by protecting oneself one protects others.

"And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting others one protects oneself? By patience, harmlessness, goodwill, and sympathy. It is in such a way that by protecting others one protects oneself.- Sedaka Sutta [SN 47.19]